Warriors beat writer Danny Emerman shares his thoughts on the NBA:
Russell Westbrook notched his second triple-double of the season this week, going for 16/10/10 while making all seven of his shots.
Westbrook, at 36, is making a major impact on the Nuggets this year, winding back the clock for stretches and getting the Nikola Jokic bump. He has always been a hyperactive player, but it’s been fun watching him channel it in creative ways to help the Nuggets.
When Denver acquired Westbrook, much of the pundit class knocked the move. He’d been on four teams in as many years and his flaws have gotten more exaggerated as he has aged.
But Westbrook was sneaky productive for the Clippers last year and has been a gem for Denver. He’s starting to prop them up in the non-Jokic minutes (any flotation device there is a plus) and pushing the pace. Shooting a career-high 53.1% on 2-pointers, Westbrook is putting together arguably his best season since his last All-Star campaign in Houston.
Development isn’t always linear, and Westbrook is just one of several guards around the league pulling a Geno Smith (“They wrote me off, I ain’t write back, though”).
In Atlanta, Trae Young has scaled back his scoring appetite, and the results are fantastic. Always an excellent passer, Young is leaning into that as his best skill, leading the Hawks to an 18-17 record. He’s taking 17 field goals per game, his lowest volume since his rookie season. His approach has helped Jalen Johnson flourish into a legitimate All-Star candidate.
Remember how brutal last season was for Jordan Poole? Well, he’s playing much freer now and although the Wizards are the bottom-feeders of the league, he’s helped them look much more competitive. One of the worst players in the league last year, Poole’s hitting a career-high 40.6% of his 3s and is averaging 25.1 points per game in his last 10 contests. Somehow, he’s starting to make himself an asset again even with his four-year, $128 million contract.
They’re not all quite reclamation projects, but Young, Poole and Westbrook’s stocks were each trending the wrong direction before this year. Now they’re rallying like Nvidia.
Before he got traded to the Warriors, Dennis Schroder was another one. The Celtics couldn’t wait to get rid of him a couple years ago, and his career looked like it was entering a different phase. But with the ball in his hands more, the veteran looked rejuvenated in Brooklyn. Integrating into the Warriors’ system hasn’t been an overnight success story, but mid-season acquisitions rarely are.
Zach LaVine and James Harden — two veterans with checkered career arcs to say the least — are also balling out this year.
How about a Bounceback Player of the Year award?
On Jimmy Butler
After not-so quietly quitting, Jimmy Butler got suspended for seven games by the Heat for conduct detrimental to the team. Miami’s open for business for the disgruntled star.
Butler holding his team hostage should depress his trade value. And if that’s the case, it could open up a path for the Warriors to compile an offer without including Jonathan Kuminga.
Trading away Kuminga for Butler doesn’t make sense. But a package around picks, Andrew Wiggins and other salaries would probably be competitive compared to what other teams put on the table.
The Athletic reported the Warriors aren’t currently a viable option for Butler. I think that could change as his market develops.
Philly in the danger zone?
After looking like they were going to pull out from their 2-10 start, the Sixers are once again on the verge of flailing.
A brutal collapse in Sacramento — the Kings finished the game on a 15-0 run — and then an embarrassment at Chase Center capped a 2-2 West Coast trip for the Sixers. That’s about as brutal of a back-to-back as possible.
Their schedule softens up in a major way. Their next five games are against the Nets, Suns, Wizards, Pelicans and Magic.
How hot does Nick Nurse’s seat get if the 76ers drop two or three of those games? They’re 13-19 with a relatively weak Eastern Conference in their favor, but if they’re still that far below .500 at about the halfway mark,
Warriors New Year’s resolutions
Talking to the team on and around the New Year, resolutions ranged from learning golf, taking things less personally, reading more books and, in Jonathan Kuminga’s case, “winning.”
Here’s a few more things the Warriors should strive for in 2025:
– Find time to learn and actually run some more of Terry Stotts’ stuff. They brought the assistant in to spruce up their offense, but dropped his actions after a week because the team couldn’t get up to speed in training camp on it. The idea of blending Stott’s Portland plays and Golden State’s sets makes too much sense to give up on.
– Integrate Dennis Schroder. He’s looked a little more comfortable every game. If he’s going to be involved in closing games, the Warriors have to keep that process going.
– Find Steph Curry some pockets to rest. The 36-year-old isn’t playing both games of back-to-backs because of his bilateral knee tendinitis. If the Warriors regain enough of a cushion in the standings like they did in November, they could give him extra days off.